Gentoo Penguin Facts | Gentoo Penguins Diet & Habitat

How about summarizing some of the most interesting and rarely known gentoo penguin facts such as gentoo penguins habitat, diet, breeding, and predators. The gentoo penguins are simply characterized by the broad white stripe extending like a bonnet across the top of its head. Chicks display grey backs together with white fronts. The mature gentoo penguins stand around 51 – 90 cm (20 – 36 inches). They are the largest penguin species outside of the two giants, king penguin and emperor penguin. Gentoo penguins are classified as ‘near threatened’ species by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. They rarely travel farther from the island either during winter or during the chick rearing. The reproductive routine of these penguins demonstrate high-level of inter-annual variability, with several years of extremely low reproductive output.

Amazing Gentoo Penguin Facts

  • The gentoo penguins display reddish-range flamboyant beaks. The feet are peach-colored and it holds the white-feathered caps.
  • These flightless birds can go in a depth of around 655 feet (200 meters). They remain submerged at this depth for about seven minutes.
  • The weight of an adult male measures around 8.5 kg (19 lb). This is a maximum weight before moulting while the minimum weight that is observed just before mating measured around 4.9 kg (10.8 lb).
  • The maximum weight of females measured around 8.2 kg (18 lb) which can drop down as little as 4.5 kg (10 lb). The mean weight of penguins living in the North is up to 700 grams (1.5 lb) while they stand around 10 cm (4 inches). The gentoo penguins living in the southern range stand 75 – 80 cm.
  • The gentoo penguins are the fastest swimmers by reaching a speed of 36 km/h.
  • They are well adaptable for the intense cold climates.
  • The average lifespan of gentoo penguins is 15 – 20 years.
  • The group name is called colony.
  • They are known to dive as many as 450 per day in search of food.
  • Like all penguin species, these birds are awkward on land. But they’re absolute grace underwater.

gentoo penguin facts

Breeding | Gentoo Penguin Facts

Gentoo penguins are commonly found to breed across sub-Antarctic islands. Some of the notable colonies include Kerguelen islands, Falkland islands, and South Georgia, with fewer numbers also inhabit in the Heard Islands, Macquarie Islands, Antarctic Peninsula, and South Shetland Islands. These penguins normally lay eggs in the pile of stones which can be fairly large. The diameter of the nest measures around 25 cm while the height is up to 20 cm. The female lays two eggs that weigh around 500 grams. Both parents share the incubation responsibility on alternate days. These eggs hatch after 34 – 36 days. The juveniles stay in their nests for about one month before developing crèches. The young molt into sub-adult plumage and venture its journey outside at about 80 – 100 days.

What Do Gentoo Penguins Eat

The gentoo penguins diet is primarily dominant with krill while the fish comprises only 15% of the plant.  They are opportunistic feeders and are known to prey on numerous fish especially Falklands. These include Loligo gahi, mackerel, icefish, patagonotothen sp. Thysanopsetta, Gonatus antarcticus, and Micromesistius australis.

gentoo penguin pictures
image Credit Worldbirdinfo.net

Predators | Gentoo Penguin Facts

Gentoo penguins are often fall to predators such as leopard seals, orcas, and sea lions. Apart from marine predators, the land enemies also take on gentoo penguins eggs including Skuas, caracaras, and seabirds.

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